Wednesday, November 19, 2014

A Trip to Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary

Finally, I got round to visiting a place I have wanted to visit for a number of years ... Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary. I have read up a lot on this place, but never visited. Why? Well, everything I have read, mentioned that you have to reserve a place in advance, it's 4 1/2 hours from Khon Kaen and doesn't open the gates until 8.00 am. Anyway, I decided it was time to try and visit. I got my girlfriend, Beau, to phone the rangers and they explained that you only have to book if you are staying for one night or more ... fantastic. One obstacle out of the way. The second was the distance. I don't have time at the moment to stay for days ... only single day trips are available. 4 1/2 hours is a long time when doubled in one day. Unperturbed, both my brother, Paul, and I, decided to head out there anyway. It took a little over 2 hours to reach the checkpoint ... nothing like the 4 1/2 hours it said on Google Maps!!! Also, it opens at 6.00am, not 8. It took a further 30 minutes once inside, but I was stopping every 2 minutes, anyway So, why visit this place? Well, I had read that there were many species there that I hadn't seen before. Most were river dwellers and being November, it's not the best time to visit rivers. I decide to target the ponds, in search of another rare species, Ceriagrion pallidum, which has been reported there. I didn't get to see it, nor did I spot any new species for my list. However, being very quiet and similar to Nam Nao, but with an abundance of water bodies to go at - even a large, open marshy area - it IS going to be my target place next season. All in all, I spotted 40 species between myself and my brother, though mostly common species. AND I hadn't even ventured down to any streams! Roll on next April/May ... I think there will be many surprises in store.

My best photos of the trip:

A list of the dragonflies of
the ponds around Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary, Chaiyaphum (that I have photographed or recorded visually)

Coenagrionidae

Aciagrion borneense Ris, 1911[♂ 2, ♀ 1]

Aciagrion pallidum Selys, 1891 [♂ 1]

Agriocnemis minima Selys, 1877 [♂, ♀ common]

Agriocnemis nana Laidlaw, 1914 [♂, ♀ very common]

Agriocnemis pygmaea (Rambur, 1842) [♂, ♀ common]

Argiocnemis rubescens
rubeola Selys, 1877[♀ 1]

Ceriagrion auranticum
auranticum Fraser, 1922[♂ 3-4]

Ceriagrion cerinorubellum (Brauer, 1865)[♂ common, ♀ 1]

Ceriagrion indochinense Asahina, 1967[♂ 1]

Ischnura aurora aurora Brauer, 1865[♂ 2, ♀ 1]

Ischnura senegalensis (Rambur, 1842)[♂, ♀ common]

Onychargia atrocyana Selys, 1865[♂, ♀ common, all teneral]

Pseudagrion australasiae Selys, 1876[♂ 2-3]

Pseudagrion rubriceps
rubriceps Selys, 1876[♂, ♀ common]

Lestidae

Lestes concinnus Hagen in Selys, 1862 [♂, ♀ common]

Lestes elatus Hagen in Selys, 1862 [♀ 1]

Lestes praemorsus decipiens Hagen in Selys, 1862 [♂ 1]

Platycnemididae

Copera ciliata (Selys, 1863) [♂, ♀ very common]

Copera marginipes (Rambur, 1842) [♂ 2]

Copera vittata (Selys, 1863) [♂ 1]

Protoneuridae

Prodasineura autumnalis (Fraser,
1922) [♂, ♀ common]

Gomphidae

Ictinogomphus
decoratus melaenops (Selys, 1854)[♂ 1]

Libellulidae

Acisoma
panorpoides Rambur, 1842 [♂, ♀ fairly common]

Brachydiplax
farinosa Krüger, 1902 [♂ 3-4, ♀ 1]

Brachythemis
contaminata (Fabricius, 1793) [♂, ♀ very common]

Crocothemis
servilia servilia (Drury, 1773) [♂, ♀ common]

Diplacodes
nebulosa (Fabricius, 1793) [♂, ♀ very common]

Diplacodes
trivialis (Rambur, 1842) [♂, ♀ very common]

Indothemis
limbata limbata (Selys, 1891) [♂ 3-4]

Neurothemis
fulvia (Drury, 1773)[♂ 2]

Neurothemis
intermedia atalanta Ris, 1919 [♂, ♀ very common]

Neurothemis
tullia tullia (Drury, 1773) [♂, ♀ very common]

Orthetrum
chrysis (Selys, 1891) [♂ common, ♀ 1]

Orthetrum
glaucum (Brauer, 1865) [♂ 3-4]

Orthetrum
pruinosum neglectum (Burmeister, 1839)[♂ very common]

Orthetrum
sabina sabina (Drury, 1770) [♂, ♀ very common]

Rhyothemis
sp. (R. phyllis or R. variegate)[♂ 1]

Tholymis
tillarga (Fabricius, 1798)[♀ 1]

Tramea
transmarina euryale Selys, 1878 [♂ 2]

Trithemis
aurora (Burmeister, 1839) [♂, ♀ fairly common]

I hope to DOUBLE this list by the end of next year. Here's to hoping (and praying)!